What’s in the five books of the Psalms?

Bookmark this as a survey of what’s in each of the five “books” in the Psalms.

What’s in Book 1?

These are the genres of the psalms in Book 1 (Psalms 1–41):

• lament (22) — Psalms 3-7; 9-10; 12-14; 17; 22; 25-28; 31; 35-26; 38-39; 41.
• royal (4) — Psalm 2; 18; 20-21.
• thanksgiving (4) — Psalms 30; 32; 34; 40
• praise (3) — Psalms 8; 29; 33
• trust (3) — Psalms 11; 16; 23.
• wisdom (3) — Psalms 1; 19; 37
• hymn (2) — Psalms 15; 24

After the introductory pair (Psalms 1–2), all these psalms are “of David” except Psalm 33.

Since so many of David’s psalms are laments, could we describe the king as the suffering servant of the Lord, carrying in himself the sufferings of God’s people?

New Testament quotations from Book 1 outnumber any other book in the Psalms:

• Psalm 2 — Acts 4:26; 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Revelation 2:27; 19:15
• Psalm 4:4 — Ephesians 4:26
• Psalm 5:9 — Romans 3:13
• Psalm 8 — Matthew 21:16; Hebrews 2:8; 1 Corinthians 15:27
• Psalm 10:7 — Romans 3:14
• Psalm 14:1-3 — Romans 3:12
• Psalm 16:8-11 — Acts 2:28; 13:35
• Psalm 18:49 — Romans 15:9
• Psalm 19:4 — Romans 10:18
• Psalm 22 — Matthew 27:46 || Mark 15:34; John 19:24; Hebrews 2:12
• Psalm 24:1 — 1 Corinthians 10:26
• Psalm 32:1-2 — Romans 4:8
• Psalm 34 — 1 Peter 3:12; John 19:36
• Psalm 35 —19: John 15:25
• Psalm 36:1 — Romans 3:18
• Psalm 40:6-8 — Hebrews 10:7
• Psalm 41:9 — John 13:18

What’s in Book 2?

As in Book 1, most of the thirty-one psalms in Book 2 (Psalms 42–72) are laments:

• lament (18) — Psalms 42-44; 51-61; 64; 69; 70-71
• praise (7) — Psalms 46-48; 65-68
• royal (2) — Psalms 45; 72
• wisdom (2) — Psalms 49-50
• trust (2) — Psalms 62-63

Psalms 42–49 are attributed to the Sons of Korah, Levites who helped with temple worship:  Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love (Psalm 48:9).

Psalms 51–70 are “Of David,” and fourteen of the eighteen are laments. As in Book 1, the king is the suffering servant of the Lord for his people, but there’s a developing emphasis on the temple.

These are the psalms from Book 2 that are quoted in the New Testament:

• Psalm 44:22 — Romans 8:36
• Psalm 45:6-7 — Hebrews 1:9
• Psalm 51:4 — Romans 3:4
• Psalm 53:1 — Romans 3:12
• Psalm 62:12 — Romans 2:6
• Psalm 68:18 — Ephesians 4:8
• Psalm 69 — John 2:17; 15:25; 2:17; Romans 15:3; 11:10; Acts 1:20

Psalm 69 is especially relevant to the sufferings of the king on behalf of his people.

What’s in Book 3?

Books 3 and 4 are the shortest: just seventeen psalms each. As in Books 1 and 2, most of the psalms in Book 3 are laments:

• lament (9) — Psalms 74; 77; 79-80; 82-83; 85-86; 88
• praise (4) — Psalms 76; 81; 84; 87
• wisdom (2) — Psalms 73; 78
• thanksgiving (1) — Psalm 75
• royal (1) — Psalm 89

The laments of Books 1 and 2 were mostly about David’s enemies. Now in Book 3, the enemies capture both parts of the divided kingdom:

• Psalm 80 responds to the fall of Israel (the northern kingdom) to Assyria.
• Psalm 89 struggles to make sense of the promises God gave to David, when Judah fell to Babylon.

Most of the psalms in Book 3 are attributed to the worship leaders: Aseph (11) and the sons of Korah (4). There’s only one psalm “of David,” a lament prayer (Psalm 86). The compilers shifted the focus as they set up for Book 4’s proclamation that the Lord is king.

Psalm 78 is the only psalm from Book 3 quoted in the New Testament (in Matthew 13:35 and John 6:31).

What’s in Book 4?

Book 3 ended in tragedy. The reign of the Lord and his anointed (Psalm 2:2) was over. God had rejected his anointed (Psalm 89:38).

Book 4 acknowledges the disaster, but it’s not the end. It’s a setback, taking them back centuries to the time before David was appointed as the shepherd of God’s people. Since all that’s gone, Psalm 90 takes us back to the shepherd who led God’s flock out of Egypt (Exodus 3:1). That shepherd (Moses) is still praying for them. This is the only Psalm of Moses.

The Lord was Israel’s king long before David (Judges 8:23; 1 Samuel 8:7). The Lord is still king, even when David is not. That’s the revelation of God in Book 4. It’s the theme that changes everything:

• 93:1 The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty.
• 95:3 The Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
• 96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
• 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad.
• 98:6 Shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
• 99:1 The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble.

Though the earthly kingdom has fallen, heaven’s reign remains: The Lord has established his throne in heaven, his kingdom rules over all (103:19).

That revelation transforms Book 4. Where Books 1–3 were full of laments, Book 4 is full of praise. Even while they suffer under foreign rule, recognizing heaven’s authority changes everything on earth. The genres are:

• praise (12) — Psalms 92-93; 95-100; 103-106
• lament (3) — Psalms 90; 94; 102
• royal (1) — Psalm 101
• trust (1) — Psalm 91

As you’d expect, David is almost absent. Only Psalms 101 and 103 are “of David.”

The New Testament quotes these psalms from Book 4:

• Psalm 91:11-12 — Matthew 4:6 || Luke 4:11
• Psalm 94:11 — 1 Corinthians 3:20
• Psalm 95 — Hebrews 4:7; 3:15; 3:11; 4:3; 4:5
• Psalm 102:25-27 — Hebrews 1:12
• Psalm 104:4 — Hebrews 1:7

What’s in Book 5?

The final book covers Psalms 107–150. With forty-four Psalms, Book 5 is the largest. It draws the story of Psalms to an overwhelmingly positive conclusion:

• praise (15) — Psalms 108; 111; 113-115; 117; 135-136; 138; 145-150
• hymn (15) — Psalms 120-134 (Songs of Ascents)
• lament (7) — Psalms 109; 137; 139-143
• thanksgiving (3) — Psalms 107; 116; 118
• wisdom (2) — Psalms 112; 119
• royal (2) — Psalms 110; 144

Most psalms in Book 5 are not attributed to anyone in particular, but fifteen are titled, “Of David.” Given that no son of David was ruling after the exile, that’s astounding. The reappearance of David infuses everything in Book 5 with hope.

Even the songwriting reflects the hope of God reconstituting the kingdom. Psalm 108 combines two earlier psalms into a new song:

Psalm 108 1 My heart, O God, is steadfast … 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. . 6 Save us and help us with your right hand … 13 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Psalm 57:7-11 7 My heart, O God, is steadfast … 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 60:5-12 5 Save us and help us with your right hand … 12 With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.

Psalms 57 and 60 were laments from Book 2, where David struggled with enemies. The enemies took over in Book 3. Now the Davidic laments return as a song of praise.

David’s voice is back. He’s declaring what the Lord has decreed about the kingship:

Psalm 110:title-2 (NIV)
Of David. A psalm.
¹ The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
² The Lord will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”

The coming king is David’s lord (master/ruler). The Lord will give him the kingship in the midst of his enemies. He will be a priest/king, mediating God’s covenant care to his people (110:4).

But they’re not living in the restored kingdom yet. They’re still under foreign rule, and it’s hard to sing Zion songs in exile:

Psalm 137 (NIV)
¹ By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. …
⁴ How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? …
⁸ Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, …
⁹ Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

The violence of these imprecatory psalms is still difficult for us to hear. Just remember they’re voicing their anguish to God rather than taking vengeance into their own hands.

Psalm 117, is the shortest, with just 2 verses. The longest is Psalm 119: it has 8 verses starting with each of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet (so 176 verses), and every verse celebrates the wisdom of the Torah of YHWH.

There are several collections within Book 5:

• Hallel Psalms (113–118) were used at festivals like Passover and Tabernacles.
• Songs of Ascents (120–134) were used as processions to or at the festivals.
• Hallelujah Psalms (146–150) begin and end with the word “Hallelujah.”

Hallel means “let us praise.” Hallelujah means “praise Yah[weh].” Hallelujah attributes honour to the heavenly sovereign who restores his reign to his people. That calls for celebration. The final psalm calls for the greatest celebration imaginable, effectively, “Bring out every musical instrument we have, and give it all you’ve got!” (Psalm 150).

These psalms from Book 5 are quoted in the New Testament:

• Psalm 109:8 — Acts 1:20
• Psalm 110 — Matthew 22:44 || Mark 12:36 || Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 1:13; 5:6; 7:17, 21.
• Psalm 112:9 — 2 Corinthians 9:9
• Psalm 116:10 — 2 Corinthians 4:13
• Psalm 117:1 — Romans 15:11
• Psalm 118 — Hebrews 13:6; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7; Matthew 21:42 || Mark 12:11; Matthew 21:9 || Mark 11:9 || John 12:13; Matthew 23:39 || Luke 19:38; Luke 13:35
• Psalm 135:14 — Hebrews 10:30
• Psalm 140:3 — Romans 3:13

So there you have it: the unfolding drama of God and his people, in five acts.

Adapted from “Formed in God’s Story: Psalms.” Full notes and podcasts here.

Related posts

• Recognizing genres in the Psalms
• The story of the Psalms